Using Hotmail with Windows Mobile

Today we’re going to talk about using your Hotmail or Windows Live account with Outlook Mobile.

What does sync’ing with Windows Live support?

  • Email (Your choice of push email or scheduled sync)
  • Contact sync
  • Uploading photos to your Live Spaces
  • Live Messenger (in some cases)

How do I set it up?

If you have Windows Mobile 6 and the Windows Live software is pre-installed by your phone manufacture:

  1. Simply open the programs menu and select Windows Live.  Follow the setup wizard and viola, you’ll have your Hotmail / Live mail and contacts syncing to your device in no time at all. 
  2. Alternatively, you can enter your live.com or hotmail.com email address in our email setup wizard and we’ll automatically launch Windows Live setup for you.  However, some of you may have email addresses that are hosted by MSN or Windows Live, such as sympatico.ca, but don’t have a live.com or hotmail.com domain. For such email addresses, this method will not work, so try 1 first.

How to get Windows Live if it isn’t pre-installed on your phone:

Visit the following web site on your mobile phone to download Windows Live for Windows Mobile, or visit the site on your PC, download the appropriate file, copy it to your phone, and open it on your phone in File Explorer:

https://wl.windowsmobile.com

This download supports Windows Mobile 6 device for push Hotmail, contact sync, and uploading pictures to spaces!  Live Messenger is not included in this download and if you are interested in Messenger access you’ll have to contact your mobile operator.

Once you’ve install Windows Live for Windows Mobile from the above site, you can then follow items 1 or 2 from above to setup your mail and contacts.

Limitations:

Microsoft will continue to invest in Windows Live for Windows Mobile, but for the time being there are some limitations:

  • You can only setup one Live or Hotmail account.  If you have additional accounts that you need to check the best solution is going to https://mobile.live.com in Internet Explorer mobile.
  • Synchronization with your Windows Live calendar is not supported.
  • Invitations and Meeting Requests sent you your hotmail or live account can’t be accepted on your phone.  You can still accept meeting requests sent to other accounts on your phone, and you can accept invitations and meeting requests for your Live account at www.hotmail.com on your desktop.

We hope you enjoy the Windows Live experience on your phone.  We in the Outlook Mobile team don’t make the Windows Live application itself, but since it integrates into Outlook Mobile, we work closely with the team and we’ll be sure to pass on any comments and suggestions you may have!

-- Tony Grue

Updated on 7/22/08 with new link

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